NABX FAQ
What is the best way to transport buggies?
Most airlines have a weight limit of 50 to 70 lb. per bag and allow two bags per person. Be sure to check with your airline for the current limits. There are some dimension restrictions as well. For example, a Libre V-Max buggy, six kites, helmet, pads and tools weighs just about 70 lb. People who typically fly on America West indicate that they have never had problems transporting their buggies as long as they adhered to the weight and size guidelines. Check with your airline before going to the airport. Some travelers put their buggy in one bag and everything else in another one. Remember, you have to haul the buggy through the airport so plan on picking up one of those carts that you rent for a buck to get your gear to and from your rental car. Remember to let all the air out of your tires before you pack your buggy. Fully inflated tires could burst while at 35,000 feet. Bring an air pump or hook up with one of many at the event who has one to lend.
What type of buggy should I bring?
Bring the buggy that you are most comfortable riding. There is enough space on the dry lake for cruising long distances in a race style buggy or trick riding in a freestyle model. Some gear suppliers will have parts available on-site and attendees from oversees will benefit from our new tire program (details to follow).
What types of kites should I bring?
As for kites, the lake beds are hard and fast. If you are used to buggying on grass or sand, you'll find that you will be using at least one kite size smaller than you normally use for a particular wind range until you get used to the speed and the lake bed At home, some buggiers hit 20mph on a hard packed sand beach and it really feels fast. In the desert, speeds normally exceed 30mph and you feel like you are barely crawling along. Bottom line, bring kites ranging from 3 to 7 meter. You'll usually end up using all of them over the course of the week.
What type of safety equipment should I bring?
Be aware that the lake bed surface is hard. You can go very fast and will hit the ground hard if you should fall. Safety equipment is required for all pilots. Bring a helmet in addition to elbow and knee pads. Some wear full motor-cross body armor. Wearing long pants and a long sleeved shirt is a good idea to help minimize road rash should you have an accident.
If you own a cell phone or FRS radio, bring it. Ivanpah is four miles wide in places and seven miles long so you will be out of sight of base camp at times. If you get hurt or run out of wind, you'll be glad you had something to call into camp and get someone to help you. Also, many buggiers bring a GPS receiver that acts as a speedo for their buggy and a direction finder to get them back to base.
Will my standard 2 ply buggy tires work on the dry lake beds?
Yes they will, but depending on how much buggying you do, they won't last long! If this is your first time buggying on a dry lake bed, you'll be surprised just how fast the hard, abrasive surface is on your standard 2 ply buggy tires. Most experienced desert buggiers use 4 ply. The thicker 4 ply will last longer on the dry lake bed because they have twice the rubber of 2 ply. Side-sliding your buggy across the dry lake bed will wear out your tires faster than anything. Even with 4 ply tires, it's still possible to wear holes completely through to the tube. It wouldn't hurt to bring a spare set of tires (better safe than sorry). The most well-known and popular brand of buggy 4 ply tires are made by Carlisle and known as "smoothies". The standard size of most buggy tires is 4.80 x 8. There are two versions of tire commonly seen on buggies; ribbed and smooth. The smooth version works best in desert conditions because the dry lake bed offers a lot of traction similar to concrete or black top. That kind of traction can easily cause you to flip your buggy when trying to turn too fast or too tight. The smooth tread tires allow your buggy to slide a little bit when executing power slide turns reducing the chances of flipping your buggy.
What about racing?
For more information on races, contests and workshops, check out the Events section of this website. Read the NABX Racing Rules.
What type of clothing should I bring?
Desert weather in mid spring can be extreme and variable. You can expect day time highs in the low to mid 70's and the night temp can drop into the 40's. Bring a full range of clothing and rain gear (just in case).
What is it like being in the desert? What protection is needed?
You need to drink plenty of water all day. Even though it is not hot this time of year, it is dry. It is also very easy to sunburn, so you will need plenty of skin protection and a hat for when you are not buggying. Clean socks and lip balm is important. Drink plenty of water especially if you are going to consume any alcohol.
Once I arrive in the Las Vegas, what do I do next?
From LV Airport, find your way to Route I-15 South. If you need to do any grocery shopping, take the exit for Henderson just south of LV proper, head east and look for a market. There are a bunch of supermarkets, Walmart, etc. in the area. There are only overpriced convenience stores in Primm. After shopping, get back on Route I-15 and head South for about a half hour. You'll go through Jean, NV which consists of one huge casino on either side of the highway. Primm is another 10 miles past Jean and is so big you can see it from Jean. The next exit after Jean (which is the last exit in NV) is the Primm exit. There are three casino's in Primm. If you are staying at Whiskey Pete's, take a right at the end of the ramp and you'll be in their parking lot. If you are staying at Buffalo Bills or Primm Valley, take a left at the end of the exit ramp and under the highway. Go through the first set of lights and proceed to a second set of lights. If you are staying at Buffalo Bills, turn left at these lights and you'll see their parking lot. If you are staying at Primm Valley, turn right at the lights and you'll see their parking lot.
Once you've settled in at your hotel, head out to Ivanpah by following the road in front of the Primm Valley casino southerly past the gas stations, McDonald's, the fashion mall, etc. Eventually you'll come to a small mini market on your right. Proceed a couple of hundred feet past the mini market and you'll see an opening in the curb on your right and a dirt road leading out to the lake bed along the eastern shoreline. Do not drive in the ruts! Instead keep to the shore-side of the old ruts and between the carsonite poles. Continue about 3 miles until you arrive at the base camp.
Note: Do not drive onto the lake bed when wet or muddy. If you sink into the mud, you're doomed. Drive with caution as you never know who is going to suddenly buggy across the road. The speed limit for motorized vehicles is 30 mph.
Is camping allowed on the dry lake bed?
Yes! As a matter of fact many NABX attendees prefer to camp instead of staying at the casino. For some, choosing to camp is a matter of saving money. For others, camping is fun and adds to the NABX experience. Since many people actually camp out on the dry lake bed next to our NABX event tent, most buggy riders leave their buggies in the event tent each night knowing that there will always be other buggy riders out there watching over the gear. Once you arrive at the NABX main camp headquarters, you'll only have to unload your buggy once for the entire week. There are porta potties on site to use so you won't have to do your thing in the brush or drive to the casino. If you decide to camp in a tent, it's advised that you get a copy of the NABX event permit just in case the BLM comes by to check. If you plan to camp and you're worried about not being able to take a shower for an entire week, just politely ask any of the other NABX attendees... maybe someone will let you use their hotel room at Buffalo Bills.
The do's and don'ts of NABX:
1. Motorized "toys" are not allowed on Ivanpah. Leave the go-carts, motorcycles, and other fossil-fuel burning vehicles at home. ONLY wind-powered craft are allowed by BLM regulation and while motorized vehicles are permitted in the camp area, this is not a good place for motorized recreation.
2. Pets are permitted, but MUST BE CONTROLLED at all times. Dogs must not be allowed to wander through other folks' camps and vehicles. On one occasion, the entire contents of a camper's ice chest were eaten by another camper's dog and there were problems with dog excrement in the kite pits. Please keep dogs on a leash at all times.
3. Absolutely NO activity is allowed in the brush areas adjacent to the lake bed. Buggying into the shoreline is forbidden due to the tortoise habitat regulations of these areas. Please keep a minimum of 50 feet from the shoreline at all times.
4. If a 2 a.m. night buggy ride is your thing, please remember that some folks are sleeping in the camp area and may not share your enthusiasm for loud activity in the middle of the night. Common sense here... howl at the moon after you're a quarter mile out on the playa!
5. Smokers please be aware that cigarette butts remain on the lake bed for about 12 years before decomposing. As Coreylama has taught us, use a butt can or "field strip" your butts and place them in your pocket for disposal in a proper trash receptacle. We need to leave the site looking as unspoiled as possible in order to continue enjoying the privilege of its use.
If any NABX veterans have additional information for this FAQ, please contact us.
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Circuit Race Results 2008
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Best ride ever!
Man I tell ya what! If you ever do anything you got to go to Nabx! This is the greatest thing imo that you could ever do. I had so much fun with all the flat wind and room that is on the Playa.You could just go as far as you wanted even with over a hundred people there you...